


The First Time You Gave Me Flowers

by Ink_Gypsy



Category: Lord of the Rings FPF
Genre: Frodo Baggins/Sam Gamgee - Freeform, M/M, The Language of Flowers, Tolkien character birthday fic, tol_eressea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 04:59:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1497532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frodo shares with Sam a long-hidden memento.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Time You Gave Me Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "Language of Flowers" event at Tol_Eressea, celebrating the birthday of Tolkien's beloved character, Samwise Gamgee on April 6th by writing a story revolving around the giving of flowers. I chose the daisy, a simple flower that represents innocence and hope, both of which figure prominently in this story.

"Do you remember the first time you gave me flowers, Sam?"

It seemed an odd question to ask a gardener, even odder since Frodo had asked it as he and Sam lay in bed together. Always an early riser, it had been difficult for Sam to stay in bed so late, but sleeping at Bag End with Frodo, he had learned to enjoy their quiet times in the morning. "There have always been flowers here at Bag End," Sam replied.

"Of course, but do you remember the first time you gave them to me as a token?"

Sam scratched his head. "I reckon it was when I decided to court you proper, Frodo." The memory of it made him smile. "I remember my Gaffer's face when I told him. He thought I'd lost my senses, but I didn't care. I'd made up my mind and none could change it."

"I remember that day, too, but it wasn't the first time, Sam."

"No?"

Frodo shook his head. "The first time you were very young, no older than six, but you knew your mind then, even though I tried to change it." It was one of Frodo's most cherished memories, and also one of his most painful.

> Frodo had never known a hobbit child to respect nature as much as did young Samwise. Perhaps it was because his father Hamfast was a gardener that Sam was growing up to revere all growing things. Frodo could understand that kind of influence. Hadn't his Uncle Bilbo taught him to have that same reverence for books?
> 
> Other hobbit children his age ran and played together, their laughter filling the air, but Sam preferred spending quiet time with Frodo, who was already in his tweens. Sam never tired of their daily nature walks, and while it might have been his father's influence, it seemed to Frodo that Sam's understanding of everything that came from the earth was inborn in the young hobbit, as organic as nature itself. 
> 
> It still amazed Frodo that at such a young age, Sam could tell you the name of any flower they came across, but while he loved blooms of all kinds, he rarely picked them, believing they should be allowed to flourish in their natural habitat. Knowing that, Frodo couldn't have been more surprised when during their walk, Sam reached down and pulled a small bunch of daisies out of the ground and held them out to him.
> 
> "What's this?" Frodo asked.
> 
> "They're daisies, Frodo."
> 
> "I know that," Frodo said, trying not to smile, "but why are you giving them to me?"
> 
> Sam continued to hold out the flowers. "Because I love you."
> 
> Now Frodo _did_ smile. "I love you, too, Sam."
> 
> "No, I mean I really love you." Sam's face shown with the innocence of his tender years. "When I grow up, I'm going to marry you, Frodo."
> 
> Frodo wasn't even tempted to laugh. Instead, the child's statement touched his heart in a way he wouldn't have thought possible. Steeling himself, he sat down at the base of a tree and lifted Sam onto his lap. "Hobbit lads don't marry other hobbit lads, Sam," he said gently.
> 
> "Why not?"
> 
> Frodo didn't have a good answer, so he went with the tried and true. "Because that's the way it's always been. One day, when you're older, you'll fall in love with a hobbit lass like Rosie Cotton and want to give those flowers to her."
> 
> Sam didn't look convinced, but accepted Frodo's word as truth. "Even if I can't marry you," he asked, "can I still give you flowers?"
> 
> Relieved that Sam wasn't going to ask him any more questions, Frodo told him, "Of course you can, and now if we don't start back, your mother will scold me for making you late for dinner."
> 
> Frodo held Sam's small hand in one of his as they walked home, and in the other he held the bouquet of daisies.

"As much as it hurt me, I vowed it would stay that way," Frodo explained, "but I wasn't strong enough." 

"Strong enough, me dear?" Sam questioned.

Frodo nodded. "I knew it would be better for you to do as I said, to give your love to a lass, but seeing you every day weakened my resolve. Regardless of what I told you about it, I knew there would be no hobbit lass in my future, that my feelings were different from those of other hobbit lads. I said what I did because I didn't want to see you deny yourself the way I had to do." Frodo sighed. "I didn't want to risk your being alone."

"But you changed your mind," Sam stated the obvious.

"I did," Frodo admitted. "Watching you grow up, seeing how strong and handsome you became, how honest and true, it was difficult not to tell you how I felt, yet I was determined to keep the promise I'd made to myself." He stroked Sam's chestnut curls. "But I didn't count on you, dear Sam. I didn't count on you knowing your true feelings, too, and refusing to be deterred from what you wanted, despite the disapproval of your Gaffer and everyone else in Hobbiton."

"It was always you for me, Frodo," Sam said, "even if I didn't understand why back then." His face turned wistful. "Did that really happen?" he asked. "Did I really say I was going to marry you and give you daisies when I was just a wee lad?"

"You don't believe me?" Frodo challenged him.

"I know you wouldn't lie about such things, but it was so many years ago."

"The scene is burned into my memory," Frodo told him, "but I also have proof."

"Now you're just making sport of me," Sam complained.

"I would never do that, Sam," Frodo assured him. "I do have proof and I'll show you." Throwing back the covers, Frodo got out of bed, his nightshirt whipping around his legs in his rush to retrieve it. When Sam started to get up, too, Frodo told him, "No, you stay there. I'll bring it back to you."

Sam could hear Frodo rummaging about in the library. The shifting of books in that room had been a favorite sound of his ever since he was a child. Some of his fondest memories were of Mister Bilbo selecting books from which to select passages for Sam to read during his lessons there.

Moments later Frodo returned and climbed back into bed. On the covers in front of him he placed a large book, a volume of Elvish love poems. "You're going to read me love poems?" Sam joked.

"That's not why I brought this to show you," Frodo replied. "I brought it because this volume holds more than beautiful words about love." Putting his fingers between specific pages, he opened the book. There, perfectly preserved between the pages of Frodo's favorite poem, was a small bouquet of daisies. "These were my very first love token from you," Frodo explained. "I couldn't bear to part with them so I've kept them in this book all these years." He closed the book carefully.

"I shouldn't have doubted you, Frodo," Sam said. "And to make up for it, I'll make you a special breakfast."

"I'll help you."

"No, " Sam insisted. "You stay in bed and I'll call you when it's ready."

Sam's breakfast preparation seemed to take much longer than usual, and unable to stay his impatience, Frodo went looking for him. When he entered the kitchen he found Sam at the stove. The table was set for two, and nestled between the two place settings stood a vase holding a small bouquet of daisies.


End file.
